UFC returns to pay-per-view (PPV) tonight (Sat., Jan. 31, 2015) with a five round "super fight" in the main event. Before the action begins, take a look at the special fighters and fights who have the potential to haul in one or more of UFC's performance-based bonuses.
Tonight, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will host UFC 183 from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, a pay-per-view (PPV) card that features several high-profile match ups and well-known fighters.
In the main event of the evening, two popular fighters who have been on the sidelines for a very long time will collide when Anderson Silva competes in his first non-title fight in more than eight years against notorious trash talker Nick Diaz.
Silva hasn't fought since failing to recapture his Middleweight title from the man who took it from him, Chris Weidman, in a match that saw "Spider" suffer a gruesome leg injury when his kick was checked. Diaz has held out for a big fight since losing in his title shot against Georges St. Pierre in 2013, and finally gets back into the cage tonight.
The co-main event features a clash of top Welterweight standouts when Tyron Woodley takes on Kelvin Gastelum. Woodley is coming off a violent and swift technical knockout finish of Dong Hyun Kim, and is looking to get back into the title picture after having lost his biggest fight to date against Rory MacDonald. Gastelum is taking a huge step up in this fight, but he seems capable of big things, standing undefeated (10-0) heading into this bout.
Now, let's take a look at the card as a whole, and the fighters who may earn performance bonuses at tonight's event:
Anderson Silva (Fighting Nick Diaz): Though there may be some doubts in people's minds following Silva's horrific injury suffered his last time out, I am more than confident in his ability to come back strong. He may not be near his peak anymore, but he is still tremendously skilled, and has great counter striking that should give Diaz fits. Diaz has a strong game, no doubt, but Silva has a superior arsenal, as well as better range and movement.
Joe Lauzon vs. Al Iaquinta: Both of these men are offense-first fighters, and they both have a propensity to fight their hearts out even if they're getting hit a lot. Lauzon boasts an advantage in grappling and just pure scrappiness, but Iaquinta makes up for that with his tremendous power, striking technique, and takedown defense. Needless to say, this will be a very interesting fight to watch as it plays out.
Kelvin Gastelum (Fighting Tyron Woodley): Woodley looked very impressive after his spirited defeat at the hands of Nate Marquardt way back when, but I think that many people, myself included, were overrating him. Rory MacDonald beat him pretty handily, with a gameplan that prioritized pressure and smart movement. Gastelum may not be as polished as MacDonald, but I think he's capable of a similar gameplan, and more likely to pounce on Woodley if he hurts him.
Jordan Mein (Fighting Thiago Alves): Alves may still have it in him to beat guys like Seth Baczynski, but Mein is a much different type of fighter. At just 25 years old, Mein possesses very high level technique and a lot of fighting experience, as well as unholy power in his punches. Alves has only been knocked out once in his career, but Mein has a very good chance of changing that tonight.
John Lineker (Fighting Ian McCall): I can't be the only one who thinks McCall has lost a step recently. His first fight with Demetrious Johnson was the best he's ever looked, but since then he's slowed with each outing. Lineker is an action fighter and a brawler to some degree, but he doesn't let opponents off the hook, and his body work pays dividends later in the fight as it keeps opponents from taking over the fight as he himself starts to tire. McCall can get suckered into a gunfight, and that's what'll happen here, but it's a gunfight he won't win.
Diego Brandao (Fighting Jimy Hettes): Ever since Hettes burst onto the scene with dominant wins over Alex Caceres and Nam Phan, he hasn't lived up to expectations, and seems to be quite a limited fighter. Brandao -- for all his flaws -- is a solid technician who just takes risks a little more often than sensible fighters would be comfortable with. That said, he has solid takedown defense, and should keep the fight where he wants it, and where Hettes will face a serious striking disadvantage.
And that wraps up the bonus watch for this event.
Lots of good fights on this card, with a lot of recognizable names to boot. This is one of the rare cards that fans can enjoy from top to bottom ... so enjoy the fights!
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